Guest opinion: Promises made promises kept, no new taxes

April 27, 2013

Far too often in today's political arena politicians make promises but, at the drop of a hat, do what is convenient and expedient at the time. I made a promise before I was elected not to raise taxes on the residents, the taxpayers, the voters of Cape Coral. For almost four years I have kept my promise and I will not let you down now.

Some of our council members would rather raise taxes than tighten our belt, just like our residents have had to do over the past four years. They are telling us "The Sky is Falling", without additional taxes our city will fall into disrepair, that services will have to be cut. The problem is, all of this talk, is nothing more than scare tactics. Politicians use the politics of fear to justify continued spending, which keeps them from making the touch choices that will keep our city running while protecting our taxpayers.

When you elected me mayor nearly four years ago I knew that our taxpayers deserved a government that was affordable. I knew that our city, recovering from the worst economic downturn for our community must tighten its belt, like our families did. Now as our community has begun to recover, there is a faction on our city council that would have our residents and taxpayers believe that we must now bear the burden of new taxes so our government does not have to go without. I say "No".

We have had many opportunities over the past several years to tighten our belt. This council spent $250,000, on an armored personnel carrier instead of buying six cruisers for our police. This Council spent $13,200,000 on 652 acres of land that has no use.

Prior councils spent $15,000,000 on unused equipment purchased for a bio solids plant that has never materialized, and $8,000,000 on The Water First Project to the North Cape that will probably never materialize.

We cannot squander our taxpayer dollars and then come back and ask them for more because our city council cannot learn to decide between our residents NEEDS and our governments WANTS.

Unlike some of our local politicians I will hold the line against new taxes that are an unfair burden to our taxpayers. I have heard from our community, in my office and across the Cape, you do not want any new taxes . I will keep my promise and continue to fight for you.